It’s that time of year again when students from across the country are biting their nails in anticipation of their GCSE results.

However, results days can also be a stressful time for parents or guardians, who are not only worried about their child’s future but how to support them through one of the most important times of their life too.

Careers Wales has offered the following advice to parents looking to give their youngsters a helping hand.

1. Be supportive

Listen to what they are worried about and reassure them that whatever results they get you are proud of them

2. Keep calm

Your role is to be supporting and reassuring. If you show your stress this will only increase the stress your child is feeling

3. Be practical.

Make sure you know what time they are getting their results, do they want you be with them when they receive their results?

4. Be prepared for the outcome

Good news is easier to react to but if it is bad news then you need to offer perspective.

5. Talk to your child.

It can be about your own experiences, both successes and failures.

6. Encourage them

Tell them to think about what they want from their working life, this will help begin to focus your efforts in the right direction, looking for suitable jobs and apprenticeships that give them the experience they need.

7. It’s not always bad news

Make sure you are prepared if your child does a lot better than expected. They may now have the grades to swap onto a different course. Make yourself aware of the options available.

8. Tell them to seek advice

Encourage your child to talk to teachers or careers advisors so that they can point them in the right direction if necessary

9. Remind them of how great they are

That means reinforcing all their achievements to date.

10. Inform yourself about their options

Examine all the choices available should they not get the grades they want.

Further advice

Careers Wales, a subsidiary of the Welsh Government which provides independent and impartial careers advice, information and guidance to people of all ages, will be putting several services in operation directly after the results.

For the first time there will be live guidance available from a careers adviser in the caller’s area when they call the Careers Wales Connect line on 0800 028 4844 on Friday 21 and Monday 24 August.

Also on Friday 21 and Monday 21 August, there will be a live Twitter surgery with a careers adviser from 1-3pm using the hashtag #askcareerswales and the Facebook surgery between 11am – 1pm.

Students can also contact Careers Wales for advice via the live chat service in the bottom right-hand corner of their website.